'Tryphine' is a horror and mystery that uses an atmosphere of utter dread to explore strong themes of immigration and feminist solidarity. It is a film that blends South-Asian cinema, Victorian Gothic visuals, and modern Thriller storytelling.
'Tryphine' is a horror and mystery that uses an atmosphere of utter dread to explore strong themes of immigration and feminist solidarity. It is a film that blends South-Asian cinema, Victorian Gothic visuals, and modern Thriller storytelling.
in partnership with
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Story
Mission Statement
'Tryphine' is a story written by a woman of color and addressed to all women everywhere. The story is held up by two South-Asian women and is told in different languages. One of the youngest women ever accepted by AFI's Workshop, Revati Dhomse is dedicated to on-screen and off-screen representation.About The Project
Kareena, a struggling grad student, is brought to a grand country estate to teach English to the disturbed wife of a wealthy heir. As her lessons with the manic bride become more and more intense, she gradually begins to understand the dangerous extent of the strangeness she faces inside the house.
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“Tryphine” is a retelling of ‘Bluebeard’, a folktale in which women are punished by a man for their curiosity. Kareena and Sita are two South-Asian women uprooted and planted in a country that is not their own; one has integrated into it, while the other is isolated. Sita is clearly traumatised and endangered, but renounced by her peers as ‘hysterical’. As the film progresses, these women are only able to survive because they believe and give aid to one another. One only needs to look at the current #MeToo movement to see that traumatic events experienced by women are widely written-off or even ridiculed; it’s only through mutual support and the testimony of other women that are we able to survive and overcome injustice. Through magical realism and horror, we examine how women are victimised, vilified, and ultimately how they can save each other.
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In creating ‘Tryphine’, we are trying to tap into the peculiar terror of alienation and isolation faced by so many immigrant women the world over, and especially those in South-Asian diasporas. Arranged marriage is still incredibly commonplace globally, and while largely benevolent, it is still not uncommon for women to find themselves stuck in an unfamiliar place, with an unfamiliar man, and absolutely no tangible connection to anyone around them. In some cases, the consequences are very serious indeed. ‘Tryphine’ is about viewing what might otherwise be a familiar horror story through a uniquely South-Asian lens. It uses the tropes of the genre to examine themes of spousal abuse, gaslighting, and the importance of female solidarity and believing the testimony of women. Tryphine is a project that matters very greatly to us, and we hope it will resonate with others as well.
"I write to exist. For far too long, the words of women - especially women of color - have been erased or plagiarized. When I was just a toddler, we left India, and headed west to California. I spent a lot of time in front of a TV while my mother pursued both a career and higher education in a completely new country. As a result, I fostered a deep love for movies from a young age - even if the majority of the movies I consumed didn’t really love me. I quickly learned that movies tended to ignore, forget, and erase women who looked like me and, yet, I loved them. Nevertheless, to find any piece of media that reflects the truth you see around you is a feeling like no other. It is to love and be loved in return. I want to give that to the people who come after me. By telling these stories, I want other women like me to feel seen."
- Revati Dhomse
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The AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) is a hands-on training program committed to increasing the number of women working professionally as narrative screen directors. Since its inception in 1974, the DWW has graduated over 300 alumnae, creating robust network of female storytellers empowered to lend their voices to film and television in ever greater numbers. Each year, the DWW provides eight gifted directors with immersive training and the support to complete a short film or digital series. Revati Dhomse is one of the youngest applicants ever to be included in the program..jpg)
We have scrimped and saved and shaved every penny off our budget as possible, but movies ultimately cost money to make, and there wasn’t enough in the couch cushions.
Art needs patrons, and we’re hoping you believe enough in this idea to help bring it to life. Remember, this is a 501(c) non-profit organization and every dollar that you donate to us may be tax deductible!
Movies are always and forever a collaborative medium; nothing gets done alone. Yet with a dedicated team of backers, we can get this picture out there. We want you on our team.
We can’t do it without you!
Incentives
$15
You're Awesome!
Social media shout-out!
For donating at this level and above, you will receive public acknowledgement of exactly how great you are! We will put your name in the credits of the film and shout out a Tweet from the rooftops so everyone will know what you did for us! Thank you, gracious person!
$25
Your Fortune Told
Your fortune!
We will examine ley-lines, star-charts, and commune with the dead to get a full report on your spiritual identity. What is your lucky fruit? Will you find love on a Thursday? Are you suffering from a mild curse?
If you would like to be cursed, or have a curse administered to a third party, please see our special 'Curse' incentives below.
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$25
Script Access
Copy of the 'Tryphine' shooting script!
For the literary savant; those who know that the written word is truly the superior medium: a copy of our original script for 'Tryphine', available pre-production - just for YOU! (And also anyone else who pays the $25 pledge level)
The easiest way to avoid spoilers is to vaccinate against them by already knowing the plot of the film. Fact.
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$50
Early Release of The Film
Digital link to the film!
You lucky dog, you. If you pledge just $50, we'll send you a digital copy of the movie long before any other pair of human eyeballs has had the chance to see it. Your very own, to keep forever. Play your cards right, and we might also send you a rough-cut of the picture during production (which is like getting a cake out of the oven before it's done baking because you're so excited to eat it.)
The digital copy of the film is 100% GUARANTEED not to be cursed.
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$50
Curse
A curse! For you or your arch-nemesis!
Living a normal, glum life? 9-5 job, mac-and-cheese for dinner, loving family and dog? Well, for just a $50 pledge, you can shake up your daily routine with a Curse™!
We'll send you actual video evidence of us performing an occult ritual to place a mild-to-devastating curse upon you! Curses can be personalised to your level of discomfort: choose from the following menu:
- Minor Inconvenience
- Regular Annoyance
- Daily Torment
- Spicy Jalapeño
- Absolute Horror
- Fatal Doom
Don't want to be cursed yourself? No problem! Curses are totally transferrable - just name the object of disdain and we'll happily curse THEM on your behalf! Order today!
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$55
Handmade Jhumkas
Jhumka earrings!
A beautiful pair of jhumka earrings, which may or may not be cursed, handmade by a local artist, who may or may not have been a witch, ghost, or shambling nether-demon wearing the visage of a mortal. Shipping not included.
(Earring style may differ slightly from those shown.)
+ Digital copy of the film+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outSold Out!
$75
Authentic Pashmina Scarf
A pashmina scarf!
For $75 you can receive an authentic Indian pashmina, ideal for keep your neck warm and well-decorated. It is also quite useful for concealing the scars where your severed head was stitched back onto your lifeless body before the mad doctor re-invigorated your spirit with heavenly fire in open defiance of the laws of god and man, but that's neither here nor there.
Shipping not included.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outSold Out!
$100
Unsuspicious, Traditional-Style Necklace
A necklace!
All necks look infinitely handsomer with a necklace on them. This is a known fact. For a $100 pledge, you will receive a traditional-style piece of indian jewellery to wear on the area between your chin and your torso.
All pieces are unique and may differ from the image shown. The artist refuses to comment on rumors that any of their necklaces have unaccountably come to life and strangled the people wearing them, except to say that such rumors are definitely unfounded, and that the necklaces should be kept out of moonlight for no reason whatsoever.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 1 of 10
$100
"Family Recipe" (DEFINITELY NOT A CURSE)
A secret family recipe!
Every family has traditional recipes that get handed down from parent to child. Ours is no different. Delicious recipes with fresh, organic ingredients like 'a handful of gravesoil' and 'the tongue of a slanderous goat'.
For just $100, you too can have access to several of our traditional 'recipes', sure to change your life in ways most unexpected. Each of these 'recipes' is hand-written in something that looks like ink, and presented on yellowing parchment torn from The Book of Unspeakable Truths.The 'recipes' are best prepared by candlelight, with a curved dagger, under a waning moon. Pledge today, and see what a difference these home-cooked 'meals' make in your life.
DEFINITELY NOT A LIST OF CURSES.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$150
Notes on Your Script
Detailed notes on your script!
Do you harbor a passion for writing? Almost ready to start shopping that screenplay around town, but not quite sure that it's ready?
For a pledge of $150, we will read and give detailed notes on your script! Cover-to-cover report on its strengths and weaknesses, and suggestions on how to perfect it. We can't wait to read your writing!
We can also include a light curse, if you want? We'll just throw it in there. Say the word.+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 2 of 5
$300
Spooky Stuff From The Film
Do you want to take home a piece of the film? Of course you do! What a stupid question! In creating 'Tryphine', we've partnered with several Indian artists to populate the mansion with authentic carvings, paintings, statuettes and at least one very practical key-hook. For a $300 pledge you'll get to keep one of the very items that you see on screen, which may or may not house the undying soul of a former enemy of the artist.
Shipping not included.+ Set of 'Family Recipes' (see $100 pledge)
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 2 of 5
$1,000
Personalised Art
Art!
For a pledge of $1,000, we will create a unique work of art for you that captures the essence of madness and distills it into a physical vessel. Choose either a poem, song or painting on the subject of your choice: War? Carrots? Bathtub grout? Pick any one thing and we shall twist it into a horrific artistic keepsake for you to enjoy for all eternity.
(Warning: Portraits of you may begin to age and show your innermmost sins while you remain flawless and ageless. The Tryphine Team assumes no responsibility for the disfigurement of your immmortal soul, or the philosophical conflict between aestheticism and morality. Shipping not included.)
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 0 of 5
$2,500
Bloody Mary
Associate Producer credit!
Don't say her name thrice. Anyone who pledges at this level will receive an Associate Producer Credit in the film! You will actually be Hollywood Producer - You'll have a page on IMDB.com! Put it on your business cards. Brag to your friends.
Pledging at this level will ward off spirits who dwell in The Mirror-Dimension.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Signed copy of the script
+ Behind the scenes photos
+ Social media shout-out$5,000
The Hollywood Ghost
Executive Producer credit!
Ya made it, kid. The big time. For pledging at this level, you will get an actual Executive Producer Credit in the film and an invite to the Premiere in Los Angeles, CA! Being an Executive Producer is literally TWICE as good as being an Associate Producer! Just think of famous EPs like Mindy Kaling, Oprah Winfrey, and Shonda Rhimes - you can be just like them in EVERY way! You are also invited to set, and can even be a PA, if you're very passionate about fetching things!
*Travel and lodging not included
+ Digital copy of the film+ Digital copy of the script
+ Signed copy of the script
+ Social media shout-out -
Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$15
You're Awesome!
Social media shout-out!
For donating at this level and above, you will receive public acknowledgement of exactly how great you are! We will put your name in the credits of the film and shout out a Tweet from the rooftops so everyone will know what you did for us! Thank you, gracious person!
$25
Your Fortune Told
Your fortune!
We will examine ley-lines, star-charts, and commune with the dead to get a full report on your spiritual identity. What is your lucky fruit? Will you find love on a Thursday? Are you suffering from a mild curse?
If you would like to be cursed, or have a curse administered to a third party, please see our special 'Curse' incentives below.
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$25
Script Access
Copy of the 'Tryphine' shooting script!
For the literary savant; those who know that the written word is truly the superior medium: a copy of our original script for 'Tryphine', available pre-production - just for YOU! (And also anyone else who pays the $25 pledge level)
The easiest way to avoid spoilers is to vaccinate against them by already knowing the plot of the film. Fact.
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$50
Early Release of The Film
Digital link to the film!
You lucky dog, you. If you pledge just $50, we'll send you a digital copy of the movie long before any other pair of human eyeballs has had the chance to see it. Your very own, to keep forever. Play your cards right, and we might also send you a rough-cut of the picture during production (which is like getting a cake out of the oven before it's done baking because you're so excited to eat it.)
The digital copy of the film is 100% GUARANTEED not to be cursed.
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$50
Curse
A curse! For you or your arch-nemesis!
Living a normal, glum life? 9-5 job, mac-and-cheese for dinner, loving family and dog? Well, for just a $50 pledge, you can shake up your daily routine with a Curse™!
We'll send you actual video evidence of us performing an occult ritual to place a mild-to-devastating curse upon you! Curses can be personalised to your level of discomfort: choose from the following menu:
- Minor Inconvenience
- Regular Annoyance
- Daily Torment
- Spicy Jalapeño
- Absolute Horror
- Fatal Doom
Don't want to be cursed yourself? No problem! Curses are totally transferrable - just name the object of disdain and we'll happily curse THEM on your behalf! Order today!
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$55
Handmade Jhumkas
Jhumka earrings!
A beautiful pair of jhumka earrings, which may or may not be cursed, handmade by a local artist, who may or may not have been a witch, ghost, or shambling nether-demon wearing the visage of a mortal. Shipping not included.
(Earring style may differ slightly from those shown.)
+ Digital copy of the film+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outSold Out!
$75
Authentic Pashmina Scarf
A pashmina scarf!
For $75 you can receive an authentic Indian pashmina, ideal for keep your neck warm and well-decorated. It is also quite useful for concealing the scars where your severed head was stitched back onto your lifeless body before the mad doctor re-invigorated your spirit with heavenly fire in open defiance of the laws of god and man, but that's neither here nor there.
Shipping not included.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outSold Out!
$100
Unsuspicious, Traditional-Style Necklace
A necklace!
All necks look infinitely handsomer with a necklace on them. This is a known fact. For a $100 pledge, you will receive a traditional-style piece of indian jewellery to wear on the area between your chin and your torso.
All pieces are unique and may differ from the image shown. The artist refuses to comment on rumors that any of their necklaces have unaccountably come to life and strangled the people wearing them, except to say that such rumors are definitely unfounded, and that the necklaces should be kept out of moonlight for no reason whatsoever.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 1 of 10
$100
"Family Recipe" (DEFINITELY NOT A CURSE)
A secret family recipe!
Every family has traditional recipes that get handed down from parent to child. Ours is no different. Delicious recipes with fresh, organic ingredients like 'a handful of gravesoil' and 'the tongue of a slanderous goat'.
For just $100, you too can have access to several of our traditional 'recipes', sure to change your life in ways most unexpected. Each of these 'recipes' is hand-written in something that looks like ink, and presented on yellowing parchment torn from The Book of Unspeakable Truths.The 'recipes' are best prepared by candlelight, with a curved dagger, under a waning moon. Pledge today, and see what a difference these home-cooked 'meals' make in your life.
DEFINITELY NOT A LIST OF CURSES.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-out$150
Notes on Your Script
Detailed notes on your script!
Do you harbor a passion for writing? Almost ready to start shopping that screenplay around town, but not quite sure that it's ready?
For a pledge of $150, we will read and give detailed notes on your script! Cover-to-cover report on its strengths and weaknesses, and suggestions on how to perfect it. We can't wait to read your writing!
We can also include a light curse, if you want? We'll just throw it in there. Say the word.+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 2 of 5
$300
Spooky Stuff From The Film
Do you want to take home a piece of the film? Of course you do! What a stupid question! In creating 'Tryphine', we've partnered with several Indian artists to populate the mansion with authentic carvings, paintings, statuettes and at least one very practical key-hook. For a $300 pledge you'll get to keep one of the very items that you see on screen, which may or may not house the undying soul of a former enemy of the artist.
Shipping not included.+ Set of 'Family Recipes' (see $100 pledge)
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 2 of 5
$1,000
Personalised Art
Art!
For a pledge of $1,000, we will create a unique work of art for you that captures the essence of madness and distills it into a physical vessel. Choose either a poem, song or painting on the subject of your choice: War? Carrots? Bathtub grout? Pick any one thing and we shall twist it into a horrific artistic keepsake for you to enjoy for all eternity.
(Warning: Portraits of you may begin to age and show your innermmost sins while you remain flawless and ageless. The Tryphine Team assumes no responsibility for the disfigurement of your immmortal soul, or the philosophical conflict between aestheticism and morality. Shipping not included.)
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Digital copy of the script
+ Your name in the credits
+ Social media shout-outClaimed: 0 of 5
$2,500
Bloody Mary
Associate Producer credit!
Don't say her name thrice. Anyone who pledges at this level will receive an Associate Producer Credit in the film! You will actually be Hollywood Producer - You'll have a page on IMDB.com! Put it on your business cards. Brag to your friends.
Pledging at this level will ward off spirits who dwell in The Mirror-Dimension.
+ Digital copy of the film
+ Signed copy of the script
+ Behind the scenes photos
+ Social media shout-out$5,000
The Hollywood Ghost
Executive Producer credit!
Ya made it, kid. The big time. For pledging at this level, you will get an actual Executive Producer Credit in the film and an invite to the Premiere in Los Angeles, CA! Being an Executive Producer is literally TWICE as good as being an Associate Producer! Just think of famous EPs like Mindy Kaling, Oprah Winfrey, and Shonda Rhimes - you can be just like them in EVERY way! You are also invited to set, and can even be a PA, if you're very passionate about fetching things!
*Travel and lodging not included
+ Digital copy of the film+ Digital copy of the script
+ Signed copy of the script
+ Social media shout-out - Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
REVATI DHOMSE
Director, Co-writer
Listed as one of Variety's 110 Students to Watch in their 2015 educational impact report, Revati Dhomse is a writer and director who lives in Los Angeles. Born in Mumbai and raised in California's Silicon Valley, her short ‘The Death of Colm Canter’ went on to receive praise by CineWomen magazine, in which they called it a "technically audacious and emotionally gripping film." The feature version that Dhomse co-wrote explored similar themes of motherhood and duty and went on to earn the rank of quarter-finalist in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in 2018. ‘The Death of Colm Canter’ was awarded the Barry Josephson Fellowship at the Austin Film Festival in the same year. Dhomse enjoys exploring themes of womanhood through magical realism and/or heightened genres in her art.
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